Storage bin system

ABSTRACT

A storage bin system, particularly suited for use with hot asphalt producing mills, and comprising modular units prefabricated for on-site erection which include a base structure, discharge chute, bin units, a charging enclosure, and track supporting section each having individual corner posts with mounting pads for being structurally fastened together. And, an operating mechanism mounted on top of the storage bins for moving a carrier car with clam-shell doors over an inclined trackway and into a discharge position relative to bin and carrier door operating devices interconnected for synchronous operations.

United States Patent 1191 Varnum Apr. 16, 1974 STORAGE BIN SYSTEM 1,594,863 8/1926 Warner 214/63 [75] ent W lli R bert mum, easant 2,443,317 6/1948 Lancaster 214/44 R R'd M' h. l ge 1c Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Asslgneel J & J Burning, warren, Mlch- Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dale Austin Winnie [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1971 211 App]. No.2 206,699 [57] ABSTRACT A storage bin system, particularly suited for use with [52] U 8 CI 214/16 R 52/194 105/242 hot asphalt producing mills, and comprising modular 214/41 514/44 214/746 units prefabricated'for on-site erection which include [51] Int Cl I 1 Bsg 65/30 a base structure, discharge chute, bin units, a charging [58] Fieid 17 C 41 enclosure, and track supporting section each having R 63 5 740 individual corner posts with mounting pads for being a SWIM 1,97 1 05/2141 (5 structurally fastened together. And, an operating a mechanism mounted on top of the storage bins for [56] References Cited moving a carrier car with clam-shell doors over an inclined trackway and into a discharge position relative UNITED STATES PATENTS to bin and carrier door operating devices intercong e! 81 214/74l X nected for synchronous operations. reeman 3,477,594 7 Claims, 19 Drawing'Figures l1/l969 DiCicco 214/41 FATENTEDAPR 16 5974 SHEET 2 0F 7 FATENTED NR 1 6 I974 SHEET 3 0f 7 ATTORNEY PATENTEDAPR 18 m4 3.804.269

' saw u or 7 1 N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY PATENTEDAPR 16 19M 3804.269

sum 6 0r 7 Z! INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY STORAGE BIN SYSTEM BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION Storage bin systems are known for a variety of uses, such as for grain, gravel, hot asphalt, etc. And, they are generally known in round or rectangular shapes of varying heights depending upon needs and usage.

They are commonly placed near a mill or supply source, where the product to be stored is processed or made-up, and they are connected to their supply source by an inclined trackway that runs from under the processing plant to the top of the storage bin tower. A moving belt or a carrier, generally referred to as a skip car, is provided on the trackway to transport the processed product to the storage bins, which are usually set high enough above ground level to enable a truck to drive under and be loaded.

Both the plant and the storage bins may be used to load trucks to carry the product away, or the bins may be used alone while the plant replenishes them.

The size and magnitude of such storage bin arrangements may reach very large proportions and have to be so constructedas to sustain a great amount of weight when in use. Consequently, they are most frequently built-up right on the site where they will be used and involve a great deal of construction know-how. This in turn means a great amount of expense and a permanent installation which only the very large operators can usually afford.

Although some efforts have been made to prefabricate certain structural members or component parts of a storage bin system, to cut the expense for the smaller user,.very little has been accomplished in this regard with any real degree of success. Sometrusses can be pre-cut and pre-assembled and in some instances storage bin walls have been pre-built and then put together at'the construction site. However, unit or modular construction has not been successful beyond this because of the numerous problems which are involved.

Considering that some of the storage bin systems that are needed are as high as a five story building, or higher, it has been assumed that the structural framework should be errected first and then filled in, as in building a building. It has just not been feasible, heretofore, to stack pre-built and assembled storage bin walls on top of each other and to fasten them together in any manner, which would provide an acceptable end product. Structurally, as regards the final storage-bin system, the need for strong stable support from the ground up has seemed a necessity which could only be served by towering l beam pillars at each corner. Otherwise, for example, to illustrate one particular problem, the overall structure was invariably unstable in a high wind, because of its height and being stacked rather than built as an integral unit.

Just-like children's blocks stacked on match stick legs, a strong wind would topple the structure over.

Aside from the advantages to be obtained in manufacture (fabrication really) and errecting a modular storage bin system, there is also the very great benefit of being able to provide a system with a variable capacity in that one, two three or more modular bin units can be used. Units can be added or removed and the whole system itself can be taken down and moved.

The problem has been how to accomplish modular construction in the storage bin business and heretofore no one has found the real solution.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is directed to a modular storage bin system and one particularly suitable for use with a hot asphalt producing mill. It includes a base structure providing four corner posts and having structural trusses that are across the upper ends of the corner posts and tie them together. A discharge chute with a peripheral flange is supported on the base structure and hangs down there within. Its peripheral flange being fastened to the posts and structural trusses to add to the structural strength andstability of the system.

One or more modular storage bins are stacked one on another on the base structure and each includes its own corner posts and side wall flanges, at top and bottom, to fix the side walls together. The corner posts include mounting pads of special design which enable fastening aligned base and bin corner posts together, for on site erection, dissassembly, adding a bin, etc.

The bin units are capped by a charging enclosure which includes corner posts'at one end and a top wall in which an openingwith power operated doors is provided. This capping unit has alike peripheral flange and its posts have mounting pads to further obtain the necessary structural strength and stability needed in the modular construction.

The top wall of the charging enclosure-is inclined at an angle and has a track supporting module provided over it with track sections relatively aligned in parallel spaced relation over the opening closed by the access doors. An inclined trackway, with like parallel track sections, is connected to those on the track section supporting module and supports a carrier car with which hot asphalt can be transported from a nearby mill to the top of the storage bin assembly.

The carrier car includes clam-shelldoors and has a low center of gravity, down within and between the track sections, and there is a special mechanism provided on the track section supporting module for opening the carrier car doors when the carrier car is in position to do so. By the design of the car, its doors and a finger claw device of this operating mechanism, the carrier car can be moved relatively into position, before the doors are opened, and the doors can be closed and the carrier car returned without interference.

The carrier car itself is cable operated by an operating mechanism on a platform module supported on top of the track section supporting module. In a two bin system, this module can be located on the first or second set of bins and made to position the carrier car over which ever bin system is to be serviced.

The overall modular bin system enables prefabrication of all major units so that essentially only their erection on site is necessary. They are sized for highway shipment, on flat cars, and can be erected or dissassembled and moved to new sites, made larger, or reduced in size as business conditions warrant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a hot asphalt producing mill and the modular storage bin system of this invention erected and disposed to service the mill. And, with a second storage bin system in phantom outline being erected next adjacent thereto.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the storage bin system, looking down on the carrier car operating mechanism as seen in the plane of line 22 in the first drawing figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.-

FIG. 3 is a sectional top plan view through the base of the mill, to show the articulated end of the trackway, as seen in the plane of line 33 of the first drawing figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the corner post construction showing the base, discharge chute and bin enclosurers as structurally assembled.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane of line 5-5 of the previous drawing figure, and looking in the direction of the arrows, to show the same construction from another viewing angle.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane of line 6-6 from FIG. 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows, to show still another view of this corner construction and assembly.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the construction and assembly at the top of the storage bins themselves, right at the junction of the uppermost bin unit, the charging enclosure, and showing one post of the track section supporting module.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane of line 8-8 in the immediately preceeding drawing figure and looking in the direction of the arrows to show another view of the same construction.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic composite view showing the different modular units (a) through (f) used in the modular construction of the storage bin system of the present invention.

FIGS. l0-12 are enlarged fragmentary views of the truss sections used in the construction of the base module structure.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged end view of the carrier car as disposed on the track section supporting module and within the operating mechanism that is used to open the clam-shell doors of the carrier car.

FIG. 14 is a broken cross-sectional view, as taken in the plane of line 1414 in the immediately preceeding drawing figure, and looking in the direction of the arrows, to show the carrier car door operating mechanism more clearly.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged end view of the track section supporting module and of the carrier car operating mechanism, on its platform, which are mounted on top of the actual storage bin system modules.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the charging enclosure module, on top of the bin units, showing the power operated means for actuating the access doors which open and close the opening therein.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary top plane view of the charging enclosure, its access doors and operating mechanism, as seen in the plane ofline l7-ll7 in the preceeding drawing figure and looking down in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 18 is a further enlarged detail in cross-section of the track section guiding the access doors for easier opening, as seen in the plane of line I8-18 in the immediately preceeding drawing figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 19 is an electrical schematic of the whole -power operated and manipulated system.

In the first drawing figure, there is shown an asphalt producing mill 10, which serves as the dispensing station, and a first set of storage bins 12, which are the receiving stations for asphalt produced for storage and/or secondary dispensing. A trackway 14 interconnects the mill and the storage bins and is shown with a hot asphalt carrier car 16 disposed thereon. And, on top of the first set of storage bins 12 there is shown the operating mechanism 18 for moving the carrier car between the mill and the storage bins.

Trucks 20 and 22 are shown under the mill and first set of storage bins for receiving and transporting the hot asphalt to other locations for use.

A second set of storage bins 24 is shown in phantom outline and immediately behind the first set of storage bins. The trackway 14 interconnects the two sets of storage bins but the carrier car 16 has not been adapted to serve the second set of storage bins, as yet, in this view.

The asphalt producing mill 10 may be anyone of a number of different types, conventionally known, and.

since it forms no material part of the present invention it need not, and will not, be described in any great de-. tail.

The mill is disposed on four columnar supports or legs 26, 28 so that it's discharge chute 30 is above ground level and a truck, such as 20, can be driven underneath to receive a hot asphalt load. The height of the discharge chute above ground level is about as shown and ample to receive the end of the trackway 14 thereunder. Normally the trackway will hang down, as shown in dotted-outline, when the storage bin carrier car 16 is in use, and will be elevated up out of the way, as shown in full line, when a truck is receiving a load directly from the mill.

The storage bins l2 and 24 are of modular construction. They include a supporting structure 32, within which is provided the discharge chute 34, open-end rectangular bins 36, two of which are shown in the first full line bin system set, and three in the second plantom outlined set, a charging or asphalt receiving section 38, and a track supporting structure 40. Each unit has its own corner posts or pads which, in theircombination, provide the overall columnar supports for the storage bin system. And, it will be appreciated that each of the storage bin sets 12 and 24 are separate and selfsupporting.

Referring to the supporting structure first, and in par ticular to FIGS. 4-6 and 10-12 as regards details of construction, there are four major corner post supports 42, 44, 46 and 48. Each is of an H or I-bearn construction with pads 50 secured by welding to their inner disposed sides, at their upper ends. Cross bracing members S2, of I-beam construction are provided between the corner posts and have matching pads 54 at their ends by which they are aligned and bolted to the corner pads.

Lower down on the corner posts, on their inner dis posed sides, are angle iron members 56 that are welded to the posts, and serve to provide a side flange for receiving another cross brace 58 therebetween. These lower disposed cross braces 58 are of angle iron construction and have a double bolt connection 60 to the post flanges 56 to assure a square alignment. They also have a plate 62 welded to their back side, at their midpoint, for receiving a vertical brace 64, secured by a double bolt connection 66, and which ties to the upper cross bracing member 52 by means of another angle iron flange 68 welded to it. The vertical brace is of angle iron construction and is secured to the upper cross brace flange by a double bolt connection 70. And there are two diagonal braces 72 and 74, of angle iron, with double bolt connections 76 and 78 to the post flanges 56 and cross beam flanges 68, respectively.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a very strong, sturdy and stable supporting structure is obtained from pre-fabricated parts that may be pre-assembled as desired and can be quickly and efficiently erected at the site of intended use. And just as readily be disassembled and moved to another site location, when and as desired, in moving a storage bin system to an area of more productive use.

Normally the two ends of the supporting structure, which are narrower, are preassembled, at least before erection, and the cross bracing, vertical and diagonal supports, or trusses, at the front and back, are preassembled and put up, or taken down, as a unit where time is a factor in an errection or change-over. This avoids a lot of on-site handling of the various different structural members and enables the use of a regular labor crew, and fewer special steel workers, with a very big savings, in cost, time, or both.

The. discharge chute 34 is a pre-fabricated unit of heavy .sheet steel plate which includes downwardly converging side and end walls 80, 82, as is conventionally known, and with a double opening 84 and suitable closure means 86 at the bottom. It includes an outwardly disposed flange 88 about its larger open end and is of such size that the flange rests upon and is sup ported by the cross bracing members 52 of the supporting structure with the discharge chute itself supported and suspended down within the supporting structure, as best shown in FIG. .1. There are also mounting pads 90 at each of the four corners of the flan'ge about the upper end of the discharge chute which rest upon and are supported on the upper ends of the four corner posts 42, 44, 46 and 48.

A mounting pad is provided on the upper end of each base corner post, by filler plate 92 welded in between the beam flanges and web, and both the corner post pads and the corner pads on the chute are provided with relatively aligning bolt holes so that they can be fastened together.

The storage space enclosing rectangular bins 36 are mounted on top of the discharge chute 34.

The bins are open at top and bottom, as mentioned previously, and they include metal plate walls 94 welded together at the corners and to individual corner posts 96 which are of l-beam construction and have mounting pads 98 and 100 provided on their upper and lower ends, respectively. An angle iron member 102 is welded to the lower edge of each wall, between the corner posts, and serves as both structural reinforcement and a supporting flange for mounting a bin on the discharge chute 34, or another bin. A channel beam member 104 open downwardly, is welded to the upper edge of each bin wall, between the corner posts, and serves a like function.

The bin walls are further reinforced by channel braces 106 welded to the walls, extending between the angle iron member 102 and the channel beam 104, and welded to both of them at their opposite ends.

The individual corner posts 96, for the bins, are relatively smaller than the corner posts 44, of the supporting structure 32, that they set upon, and which they are structurally tied to. However, their mounting pads 98 and are made to the size of the larger posts so that they derive good solid support when mounted on and tied to the supporting posts. They are also oversized so that when one bin is mounted on another there is an extended flange area for bolting two bin sections together and/or other modular units to them.

On top of the second of the two open-end bins 36 is provided the charging or receiving section 38.

This section includes sheet metal or plate walls 108 forming a wedge shaped receptacle with a downwardly sloping cover wall 110 in which is provided an opening closed by a pair of closure doors 1 12. There are corner posts 114 at the. higher end of the charging bin, with mounting pads 116 and 118 at opposite ends, and an angle iron member 120 welded to the lower edges of the side walls, between the posts and along the sides of the bin section; to serve as a mounting shoulder, as best shown in FIG. 8.

I The lower end of the wedge shaped bin 38 also includes mounting pads 122 for tying it to the respective corner posts of the storage bin 36 on which it is received and supported.

The track supporting structure 40 includes two track supporting members,-as shown by FIGS. 9 (b) and 15, made up of a pair of corner posts 124 with a track supporting beam 126 extending across and welded to their upper ends. Hanger plates 128, for supporting a track section 130, are welded on both sides of the track supporting beam and have the track section in turn welded to them. This provides the stepped modular section which is received on top of the charging section 38,as is shown in FIG. 1. And then the modular unit which includes the operating mechanism 18 is received on top of it.

The lower ends of the cornerposts 124include the mounting pads 132, as do the other modular columnar support posts, for proper alignment and attachment to the mounting, pads on top of the receiving bin section 38.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 9 (a) and 15, there are two parallel I-beams 134 and 136 which are bolted to the cross beam 126 and have a platform 138 fixed .to the I-beams across one end. On this platform is provided to a drive motor 140, with a belt and pulley connection 142 to a speed reducer 144 which in turn includes a pair of cable drums 146. An air clutch 148 with a rotary air seal 150 is provided outboard of the pulley connection to the speed reducer and the primary brake 152, for the cable drum system, is located opposite it on the other side of the speed reducer. A spring set safety brake 154 is also provided on one of the cable drums 146 to take effect in case of cable load problems.

In the disclosed embodiment a hp. motor is used with a V-belt pulley drive connection to the speed reduce 144, which is of the parallel shaft type BD and BT shown in the LINK-BELT Catalog 1050. The clutch 148 is of the air tube disc type ATD-2l8 as shown in the current 1970 WICI-IITA catalog, and the primary brake 152 is of the spring set air release type ATD-22l while the secondary or safety brake is of the spring set type ATD-230-H, both of which were also shown in the same WICHITA catalog.

The cable drums 146 are over wound and the multiple wound wire strand cable 156 and 158 are reeved over and around pairs of pulleys 160 and 162, mounted on the other end of the I-beams 134 and 136. The cables are attached to the carrier car 16' and are of such length as allows the car to travel on the trackway 14 between the mill and the storage bins.

The trackway, between the mill and the storage bins, is made up of sections to span the distance between the two structures and to attain the height of the storage bins. For purposes of easier discussion these are identified merely as the track section 130, on top of the bins, the track section 164 that connects the mill and the bins, and the track section 166 that is articulated and passes under the hot asphalt producing mill. The main sections 130 and 164 are essentially l-beam members made straight or curved as necessary and with a track rail on their upper most flange for the track wheels 168 of the carrier car to ride on. The articulatedsection 166 includes angle iron members, rather than I-beam members, disposed to provide protective side walls for the track wheels at the lower extremity of the trackway, and having their other flange adapted for alignment with the I-beam section and to carry the actual track wheels. Y I i The lower track section 166 includes a clevis and pin connection 170, on its outer sides, which serves as the hinge connection to the other track section 164. Accordingly, when it is down, as shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the carrier car travels on the inclined track to a loading position immediately under the discharge chute 30 of the mill. When the mill itself is servicing trucks, the articulated section is pulled up and out of the way, as in the full line view in the same first drawing figure.

An intermediate track support is shown near the lower end of the track section 164, near the mill, and it will be appreciated that it is very similar in construction to the track supports'on top of the storage bins, exceptthat it is engineering for the terrain that it will sit on and the height that it must be. It includes the same general arrangement of post supports 124, cross beam 126' and track hangers 128'. And, there may be more than one of these intermediate supports between the mill and the storage bins if the distance between them or other circumstancesso dictates.

The carrier car 16 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 13. It is essentially rectangular in shape, being somewhat longer that it is wide, with outwardly open channel members 172 framing its upper opening and carrying the track wheels 168. The body walls of the carrier car depend below the track rails and include straight end walls 174 and inwardly tapering side walls 176. A pair of clam shell doors 178 and 180 are pivotally connected at opposite ends to the end walls, as at 182, and are hung to shut together to close the bottom opening in the carrier tion immediately beside the closure doors 112, of the receiving bin-section 38, on top of the storage bin arrangement. They include a pair of outwardly open channel track members 192, back-to-back, fastened to the track section by hanger brackets 194, and witha finger claw member 196 mounted on them .and under the control of a power cylinder 198 that is capable of lifting the finger claw member when it is in engagement with the side flange 188 on the clam shell doors to cause them to be opened.

The finger claw member 196 includes two side wall plates 200 and 202 with the finger claw forming members 204 connecting them at their lower end and a strap 206 provided across and between them at the back and upper ends for an upright bracket connection 208 engaged by a clevis connection on the end of the power-- cylinder rod 210.

The power cylinder itself is pivotally connected to a strap 212 across the ends of the curved track sections 192, at their upper end and hangs down between them with its actuating rod engaged, as mentioned, to the finger claw connecting part 208.

Two sets of track wheels 214 and 216 are mounted on the inside walls of the finger claw member, to ride in the curved track sections 192, and cause it to follow their path.

Accordingly, when the power cylinders 1-98 are actuated, with the finger claw members 196 engaged with the clam shell doors 178 and 180, on opposite sides of the-carrier car, they will cause the carrier car doors to be opened and its hot asphalt load to be discharged. The carrier car itself, is being pulled up the trackway and into position, over the doors 112 of the charging section 38, will cause the'side wall flanges 188 on the clam shell doors to ride into the engagement position shown in FIGS. 13 whereby actuation of the cylinders after the bin doors 112 are open, is all that is necessary.

The mechanism for opening and closing the charging section bin doors 112 is best shown in FIGS. 16-18.

The opening in the charging or receiving section 38, on top of the storage bin modules, is framed by structural I-beam's 218 cross-wise on each side of the opening, and l-beams '220 between them,at'the edges of the opening. The closure doors 112. ride on the structural beams 218 and open toward opposite sides of the receiving bin. They have a depending end flange 222 on which are two or more roller wheels 224, as best shown in FIG. 18, that ride in the outwardly disposed channel opening side of the beams 218 so that they also serve as track sections and guides for the closure doors.

Power cylinders 226 are mounted on the bin walls, between the two beams 218 and just behind the cross beams 220, on trunnion supports 228, and with their actuating rods 230 directed outwardly and away from the closure doors 112. They are within and under the protection of a cover plate 232 that is, welded to the doors at their outer edges and consequently form a part of the doors so that the actuating rods 230 of the power cylinders may be connected thereto, as at the clevis connection 234, to push the doors open and thereafter pull them closed again.

As will be appreciated, there are suitably disposed limit switches to indicate when the bin doors 112 are open and closed, and to signal and indicate when the clam shell doors 178 and on the carrier car are also opened and closed. These will be best understood, as

to their function, in the discussion of the electrical circuit for the overall system which follows.

As shown in the last drawing figure, a 440 volt, 3 phase, 60 cycle power source 250 is used with conductor line connections 252, 254, 256, through power line fuses 258, and normally open contact switches M, to the main drive motor 140.

A transformer 260, across conductor lines 252 and 256, is in the main control board circuit line 262 and is used to supply power to the various power actuated mechanisms of the system by connecting power supply and ground return conductor lines 264 and 266.

A conductor line 268, reference line (a) in the drawing, off the main control board line 262 includes a normally closed master-stop switch 270 and a normally open master-start switch 272, with a normally open relay actuated contact switch M in a conductor line 274 across the latter, for power supply to the M relay 276. When the master-start switch 272 is actuated the M relay 276 is energized, closing the M contacts to start the main drive motor and hold the circuit to the rest of the control board open.

The power input conductor line 278, for the rest of the control panel, at reference line (b), is connected into the master control line 268 after the master-start switch 272 and agreen pilot light 280 is provided in a conductor line 282 across it and the ground line 284, to indicate that power'tothe control panel is on.

A conductor line 286, across lines 278 and 284, at reference line (c) in the drawing, includes a manual automaticvposition and is open in the'manual position. A'CRA relay is in line 286 and a red pilot light 292 is in a conductor line 294 across the relay to indicate that the system is under automatic control.

'When the system is in automatic, the carrier car is started up the trackway by depressing the manually operated and normally open control switch 296, which is in conductor line 298, at reference line (d) in the drawing. With the control switch 296 closed, power is supplied across normally closed contacts CR and 2 CR, in line 298, and the 1 CR relay is energized. The '1 CR relay, in turn, closes the 1 CR contacts in the conductor line 300, across the starter control switch 296,.

and under automatic control thenormally open CRA contacts in line300 will also be closed to maintain current flow across the starter'switch 296. Under manual control, the CRA contacts are open'and the starter switch 296 has to be kept depressed for the system to continue functioning.

The 1 CR relay in line 298 also closes the 1 CR contacts in conductor lines 302 and 306, at reference lines (j) and (k) in the drawing, to activate the solenoids 304 and 308 which put the clutch 148 on and take the. brake 152 off, as regards the cable drums, so that the carrier car can be pulled up the trackway.

When the carrier car 16 is in position over the storage bin doors 112, a limit switch 1 LS will be closed and this switch is in the conductor line 310, at reference line (e) in the drawing, to provide electrical current to the relay 2 CR, through the NC contacts 4CR, in the same line with it. Relay 2 CR closes the normally open contacts 2 CR in the conductor line 312 around the limit switch 1 LS and the contacts 2 CR in the line 314, at reference line (n) in the drawing, to activate the solenoid valve 316 which, in turn, actuates the air control to the power cylinders 226 that open the bin doors 112.

When the bin doors reach their open position they close the limit switch 2 LS, which is in the conductor line 318, at reference lin'e (f) in the drawing, and supply power through the NC contacts 4 CR to the relay 3 CR. This relay closes the 3 CR contacts in the conductor line 320, around the limit switch 2 LS, and also closes the contacts 3 CR in conductor line 322, at reference line (0) in the drawing, to activate the solenoid 324 that controls the air supply to the power cylinders 198 that pull the finger claw members 196 up and cause the carrier car doors 178 and 180 to be pulled open.

When the carrier car doors reach their fully open position, a limit switch 3 LS is closed in conductor line 326, at reference line (g) in the drawing, and it closes the circuit to the relay 4 CR. This closes the contacts 4 CR in conductor line 328 around the limit switch 3 LS and changes the control circuit so that the bin and carrier car doors can be closed and the carrier car can be brought back down, as next described.

The relay 4 CR, when energized, will open the normally closed contact 4 CR in conductor lines 310 and 318, at reference lines (e) and (f) in the drawing, and cause the relays 2 CR and 3 CR to drop out. The relays 2 CR and 3 CR in dropping out will reopen their respective'2 CR and 3 CR contacts, including thosein the bin and carrier door closing conductor lines 314 and 322, so that the solenoid controls 316 and 324 are dropped out and the bin doors and carrier car doors are v normally open, will be closed'and solenoid means 330 will be activated to effect the positive closure of the bin and carrier car doors. The normally open 4 CR contacts in conductor line 332, at reference line (h) in the drawings, will also be closed and when the bin doors actually are closed they will cause the limit switch 4 LS to close, and the carrier car doors will cause-the limit switch 5 LS to close, and, since both are in series connection with the 4 CR contacts, the circuit will be closed up to the manually'operated control switch 334 that is used to bring the carrier car back down again. i

it should be noted here that the bin and carrier car door opening sequence is not immediately repeated even though the limit switch 1 LS is closed, because of the carrier car being still in the same position, due to the opencontacts4 CR in conductor line 310.

' Continuing on with the description and discussion of the operating sequence, the switch 334 must be manually actuated to complete the circuit and bring the carrier car back down.

When the circuit to relay 5 CR is complete, the normally closed contacts 5 CR in conductor line 298, at reference line (d) in the drawing, open to drop out the relay 1 CR and cause the opening of the 1 CR contacts in conductor lines 302 and 306, at reference lines (j) and (k) in the drawing. This drops out the solenoids 304 and 308 which previously activated the clutch 148 and took the brake 152 off. At the same time, the 5 CR contacts in conductor'line 338, at reference line (in) in the drawing, are closed and power is provided to the solenoid 340 in the same conductor line to drop the clutch 148 out.

Since the brake solenoid 308 has been dropped out the gravitational weight of thecarrier car will cause it to begin its descent under the influence of the brake 152, which assures positive control through the restraint imposed on the cable drums, as they play out the cables 156 and 158, for the safe return of the carrier car to its loading position under the mill.

As a safety measure, a limit switch 6 LS, disposed as necessary to sense the speed of dissent of the carrier car, is connected across lines 278 and 284, in the conductor line 342, at reference line (i) in the drawing, and serves to close the 6 CR contacts in the conductor line 344 and actuate a solenoid 346 that will operate the drag brake 154 on the cable drums 146, should an over-speed condition occur.

FABRICATION, ERECTION AND USE Each of the units shown in FIGS. 9 (a) through 9 (f) are capable of being pre-fabricated and shipped on rail or highway flat bed cars or trucks to wherever they are needed. Similarly, the trackway 14 is made in sections that can be shipped and the carrier car 16 is preconstructed and assembled for easy shipment.

The base structure 32, with its lengthy corner posts, may be made up into two end sections and two interconnecting truss sections, or the four corner posts may be provided with the pads and hangers welded and all four truss sections may be pre-fabricated and assembled and then tied to two of the corner posts on the ground, at the site, and the other two when the ends are erected.

The discharge chute 34 is lifted by a crane and set on top of the base structure 32 with its peripheral flange resting on the supporting surface provided by the base structure. The corner pads 90 on the chute are aligned relative to the pads provided in the top ends of the base posts, as by the use of a few centering pins which can be removed later, and bolt holes that are provided in the chute flange 88 are similarly aligned with the bolt holes in the truss beams 52.

The bolt fastening means used to tie the chute flange to the truss beams is the means used to tie all of the flanges of the modular units together and is to be understood although not specifically shown in all of the drawing views. Because of the stresses to be sustained, the bolt spacing in tying the different flanges together will be between 6 and 8 inches and such close spacing, even in some of the enlarged figure views, would be deceptive and obscure other details of construction. Consequently, bolt heads are shown only at the corner posts and in a few other instances but because of the fact that the system is made to have bins added or taken away, and the whole system is made so that it can be taken down and erected elsewhere. this should be fully appreciated without such specific illustration.

In placing the discharge chute 34 on the base structure, the two may be fastened together at certain locations along the flanges. this is optional, but the final assembly, for use, is made with the first modular unit 36 added on the base structure over the discharge chute.

The storage bin modules 36 are lifted by a crane, one at a time, with the first one set on the base structure and having the bolt holes in its mounting pads 100 aligned with those of the chute pads 90 and in the tops of the base posts 44. After the corners are bolted to gether the bin flange 102, and chute flange 88 are bolted together and to the truss beam 52.

The second and successive storage bin modules 36 that are stacked on the first one, have their corner posts 96 relatively aligned and bolted together and their adjacent top and bottom edge flanges 104 and 102 bolted together, as previously mentioned.

The same applies as regards the charging enclosure 38, with respect to its corner mounting pads and the flange about its lower edge. The mounting pads 122, however, are not fixed in place until the corner posts of the track supporting module 40 are in position on and over them.

After the track section module 40 is fastened in place, the drive motor on its platform 138, with the cable pulleys on he ends of beams 136, is mounted on top,as the operating module 18,to top off the whole structure.

The trackway 14 is erected, with one or more intermediate supports 124, as the terrain may require, and the articulated end of the trackway system is mounted on its lower end, under the mill that the bin system is intended to service. The upper end of the trackway is tied to the two track sections 130 on the track supporting module 40, the carrier car is mounted on the tracks and its cables 156 and 158 are reeved over the pulleys 160, 162 and onto the cable drums 146.

Structurally, it will be appreciated that while the bin system is modular in constuction, once erected it is as sturdy and stable as a structure. that is built-up on site. The manner in which the different corner posts are all bolted together, one to another, in combination with the close bolted flange members of each module, provides a more than adequate safety factor strength to withstand any and all stresses that a structure of this size may be subjected to. The individual modular units are not hung or supported within towering corner posts but are built-up one on top of another with support and structural stabilityderived from each unit in turn.

The bolted mounting pads and flange arrangement provides a peripheral seam about each modular section.

of more than adequate strength and still enables them to be taken down, and changed, if business conditions warrant a change or relocation.

The simplified electrical system and use of a drive motor and cable drums on an operating module on top of the storage bins themselves enables all operation and control to be initiated from the storage bin facility itself, or at the mill, whichever is preferred.

Once power is provided to the drive motor 140 and the system is placed in automatic or manual control, by the control switch 288, the carrier car 16 can be cycled from its loading position under the mill, up the trackway 14 and to its unloading or discharge position where it will automatically cause the bin doors 112 to open, the carrier car doors 178, to open and close, and the bin doors to close again and the systems to be reset for bringing the carrier car back down again, for another storage bin load.

As previously mentioned, the manual operation of the system is essentially to control the carrier car 16 independent of its load discharging functions. That is, to be able to set the carrier car on the trackway between the mill and the storage bins themselves, where and as desired.

I claim:

1. A modular storage bin system, comprising; an elevating base structure including four corner posts, a discharge chute received supported and fastened to said base structure at the upper end thereof for contributing to its structural stability and being disposed relatively downward therewithin, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure, said bin units being successively stacked over said discharge chute and one another and including individual structural corner posts relatively aligned and structurally fastened together and to the corner posts of said base structure, a charging enclosure with access doors received supported and fastened to the uppermost of said bin units, an elevated trackway having at least one intermediate support, a track supporting module mounted on said charging enclosure and including a track section aligned with and connected to said trackway, a carrier car received and supported on said trackway, and power operated cable drum means provided on top of said track supporting module and connected to said carrier car for the operational control thereof over said trackway and track section.

2. A modularstorage bin system, comprising; an elevating base structure including four corner posts, a discharge chute received supported and fastened to said base structure at the upper end thereof for contributing to its structural stability and being disposed relatively downward therewithin, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure, said bin units being successively stacked over said discharge chute and one another and including individual structural corner posts relatively aligned and structurally fastened together and to the corner posts of said base structure, a charging enclosure with access doors received supported and fastened to the uppermost of said bin units, an elevated trackway having at least one intermediate support and a track supporting module mounted on said charging enclosure and including a track section aligned with and connected to said trackway, a carrier car received and supported on said trackway, operative means provided on top of said track supporting module and connected to said carrier car for the operational control thereof over said trackway and track section, and operative mechanisms provided on said track supporting module on relatively opposite sides of said access doors and disposed to received said carrier car therebetween, discharge doors on said carrier car received in engagement with said operative mechanisms in the placement of said carrier car relatively over said access doors, and electrical circuit means interconnecting said access and discharge doors and including switch means disposed for actuation by said carrier car and for the sequential opening and closing of said doors in the unloading of a carrier car over said charging enclosure.

3. The modular storage bin system of claim 2, said carrier car including clam-shell doors hinged at the ends of said car for pivotal movement towards relatively opposite sides of said carrier car, a depending flange provided on the outer disposed side edges of said doors. and said operative mechanisms including finger claw means disposed for receiving said depending flange therewithin and operatively swinging said clamshell doors to open and close the same.

4. The modular storage bin system of claim 3, said clam-shell doors being formed to include an internal concavity, within said carrier car, having a load carrying capacity for keeping said doors closed together under normal load carrying use.

5. In combination with a hot asphalt storage bin system including an elevated trackway, an improved hot asphalt transporting carrier car, comprising; a carrier car frame including parallel side frame members defining the relative length of said carrier car and having end frame members connected therebetween and spanning the width of said trackway, track wheels provided on said side frame members for supporting and carrying said carrier car on said trackway, downwardly extending side and end walls provided on said carrier frame and interconnected for defining the load carrying space and capacity of said carrier car, said side walls tapering inwardly for providing a larger load receptive upwardly disposed opening and a relatively smaller downwardly disposed discharge opening, a pair of clam-shell doors pivotally andindividually connected to the end walls of said carrier car and each extending under and closing one-half of said discharge opening, said doors being hung for normally closing together, and said doors each being formed to include a weight responsive internal concavity within said carrier car, for keeping said doors closed under normal load carrying use.

6. The carrier car of claim 5, including operative means for opening and closing said clam-shell doors, comprising; a depending flange provided on each of said clam-shell doors, a finger claw member prepositioned to receive said flange into activating engagement therewith in the positioning of said carrier carfor unloading, and means for moving said finger claw member in a reciprocal arcuate path for moving said doors outwardly and inwardly to respectively openand close them.

7. A modular storage bin system for hot asphalt storage and other uses, and comprising; an elevating base structure including fourH-beam corner posts spaced to receive a vehicular truck thereunder and having structural truss supports provided therebetween near their upper ends, the ends of said corner posts and said truss supports providing a rectangular opening and supporting surface for a discharge chute received and supported thereon and extending downwardly within and between said corner posts, a discharge 'chute having a peripheral flange received supported and fastened to said supporting surface for adding structural strength to said base structure and including inwardly tapering side walls for providing a discharge opening relatively centrally within said base structure and spaced over a vehicular truck positioned thereunder for load receptive purposes, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure and successively stacked over said discharge chute and each other, said bin units each including wall plates and individual corner "posts with structural reinforcing members provided at the top and bottom edges of said wall plates and between said bin corner posts, means for securing the reinforcing members of next adjacent bin units together and the lower disposed thereof to said supporting surface and chute flange for providing structural strength and stability therebetween, mounting pads provided on the ends of said bin corner posts and including outer disposed flanges for fastening relatively aligned bin corner posts together and to said base corner posts, a charging enclosure received and supported on the uppermost of said bin units; said enclosure having corner posts provided at one end with said mounting pads, a downwardly sloping upper wall including a load receptive opening, and a supporting flange therearound for being fastened to said uppermost bin unit to cap and add structural strength and stability to the overall bin system; a track section supporting module including four corner posts with mounting pads received supported and fastened on top of said charging enclosure and including a pair of parallel track sections extending in relatively parallel spaced relation over said load receptive opening, an inclined trackway including carrier car tracks relatively aligned and connected to said track sections and having a carrier car received and supported for travel thereon, carrier car operating means including a supporting platform mounted on top of said track section supporting module and including cable means connected to said carrier car for raising and lowering said carrier car on said inclined trackway and for positioning said carrier car relatively over the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure, said carrier car including a carrier car frame with track wheels and a load carrying enclosure depending therebeneath and having a pair of clamshell doors closing the bottom thereof, said doors being hung weighted and formed for being closed together under load and no-load carrying conditions, mechanical means provided on said track section supporting module outboard of said track sections and relatively over the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure for receiving said carrier car therebetween and for selectively engaging and opening said carrier car doors, said mechanical means including an arcuate track having a finger claw member guided thereon and having a first position at one end of said arcuate track permissive of the passage of said carrier car therethrough without the actuation of said carrier car doors and a second positionengaging and pulling said carrier car doors open to discharge the load carried thereby, access doors for opening and closing the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure and power operated means in control thereof, and electrical circuit means operatively connecting and coordinating said carrier car operating means for positioning said carrier car relatively over said access doors and for the sequential actuation of said power operated meansvto open said access doors, the actuation of said finger claw members to open said carrier car doors and to close them and for said power operated means to close said access doors and enable said carrier car operating means to return the same for reloading. 

1. A modular storage bin system, comprising; an elevating base structure including four corner posts, a discharge chute received supported and fastened to said base structure at the upper end thereof for contributing to its structural stability and being disposed relatively downward therewithin, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure, said bin units being successively stacked over said discharge chute and one another and including individual structural corner posts relatively aligned and structurally fastened together and to the corner posts of said base structure, a charging enclosure with access doors received supported and fastened to the uppermost of said bin units, an elevated trackway having at least one intermediate support, a track supporting module mounted on said charging enclosure and including a track section aligned with and connected to said trackway, a carrier car received and supported on said trackway, and power operated cable drum means provided on top of said track supporting module and connected to said carrier car for the operational control thereof over said trackway and track section.
 2. A modular storage bin system, comprising; an elevating base structure including four corner posts, a discharge chute received supported and fastened to said base structure at the upper end thereof for contributing to its structural stability and being disposed relatively downward therewithin, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure, said bin units being successively stacked over said discharge chute and one another and including individual structural corner posts relatively aligned and structurally fastened together and to the corner posts of said base structure, a charging enclosure with access doors received supported and fastened to the uppermost of said bin units, an elevated trackway having at least one intermediate support and a track supporting module mounted on said charging enclosure and including a track section aligned with and connected to said trackway, a carrier car received and supported on said trackway, operative means provided on top of said track supporting module and connected to said carrier car for the operational control thereof over said trackway and track section, and operative mechanisms provided on said track supporting module on relatively opposite sides of said access doors and disposed to received said cArrier car therebetween, discharge doors on said carrier car received in engagement with said operative mechanisms in the placement of said carrier car relatively over said access doors, and electrical circuit means interconnecting said access and discharge doors and including switch means disposed for actuation by said carrier car and for the sequential opening and closing of said doors in the unloading of a carrier car over said charging enclosure.
 3. The modular storage bin system of claim 2, said carrier car including clam-shell doors hinged at the ends of said car for pivotal movement towards relatively opposite sides of said carrier car, a depending flange provided on the outer disposed side edges of said doors, and said operative mechanisms including finger claw means disposed for receiving said depending flange therewithin and operatively swinging said clam-shell doors to open and close the same.
 4. The modular storage bin system of claim 3, said clam-shell doors being formed to include an internal concavity, within said carrier car, having a load carrying capacity for keeping said doors closed together under normal load carrying use.
 5. In combination with a hot asphalt storage bin system including an elevated trackway, an improved hot asphalt transporting carrier car, comprising; a carrier car frame including parallel side frame members defining the relative length of said carrier car and having end frame members connected therebetween and spanning the width of said trackway, track wheels provided on said side frame members for supporting and carrying said carrier car on said trackway, downwardly extending side and end walls provided on said carrier frame and interconnected for defining the load carrying space and capacity of said carrier car, said side walls tapering inwardly for providing a larger load receptive upwardly disposed opening and a relatively smaller downwardly disposed discharge opening, a pair of clam-shell doors pivotally and individually connected to the end walls of said carrier car and each extending under and closing one-half of said discharge opening, said doors being hung for normally closing together, and said doors each being formed to include a weight responsive internal concavity within said carrier car, for keeping said doors closed under normal load carrying use.
 6. The carrier car of claim 5, including operative means for opening and closing said clam-shell doors, comprising; a depending flange provided on each of said clam-shell doors, a finger claw member prepositioned to receive said flange into activating engagement therewith in the positioning of said carrier car for unloading, and means for moving said finger claw member in a reciprocal arcuate path for moving said doors outwardly and inwardly to respectively open and close them.
 7. A modular storage bin system for hot asphalt storage and other uses, and comprising; an elevating base structure including four H-beam corner posts spaced to receive a vehicular truck thereunder and having structural truss supports provided therebetween near their upper ends, the ends of said corner posts and said truss supports providing a rectangular opening and supporting surface for a discharge chute received and supported thereon and extending downwardly within and between said corner posts, a discharge chute having a peripheral flange received supported and fastened to said supporting surface for adding structural strength to said base structure and including inwardly tapering side walls for providing a discharge opening relatively centrally within said base structure and spaced over a vehicular truck positioned thereunder for load receptive purposes, a plurality of storage space enclosing bin units received and supported on said base structure and successively stacked over said discharge chute and each other, said bin units each including wall plates and individual corner posts with structural reinforcing members provided at the top and bottom edges of said wall plates aNd between said bin corner posts, means for securing the reinforcing members of next adjacent bin units together and the lower disposed thereof to said supporting surface and chute flange for providing structural strength and stability therebetween, mounting pads provided on the ends of said bin corner posts and including outer disposed flanges for fastening relatively aligned bin corner posts together and to said base corner posts, a charging enclosure received and supported on the uppermost of said bin units; said enclosure having corner posts provided at one end with said mounting pads, a downwardly sloping upper wall including a load receptive opening, and a supporting flange therearound for being fastened to said uppermost bin unit to cap and add structural strength and stability to the overall bin system; a track section supporting module including four corner posts with mounting pads received supported and fastened on top of said charging enclosure and including a pair of parallel track sections extending in relatively parallel spaced relation over said load receptive opening, an inclined trackway including carrier car tracks relatively aligned and connected to said track sections and having a carrier car received and supported for travel thereon, carrier car operating means including a supporting platform mounted on top of said track section supporting module and including cable means connected to said carrier car for raising and lowering said carrier car on said inclined trackway and for positioning said carrier car relatively over the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure, said carrier car including a carrier car frame with track wheels and a load carrying enclosure depending therebeneath and having a pair of clam-shell doors closing the bottom thereof, said doors being hung weighted and formed for being closed together under load and no-load carrying conditions, mechanical means provided on said track section supporting module outboard of said track sections and relatively over the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure for receiving said carrier car therebetween and for selectively engaging and opening said carrier car doors, said mechanical means including an arcuate track having a finger claw member guided thereon and having a first position at one end of said arcuate track permissive of the passage of said carrier car therethrough without the actuation of said carrier car doors and a second position engaging and pulling said carrier car doors open to discharge the load carried thereby, access doors for opening and closing the load receptive opening in said charging enclosure and power operated means in control thereof, and electrical circuit means operatively connecting and coordinating said carrier car operating means for positioning said carrier car relatively over said access doors and for the sequential actuation of said power operated means to open said access doors, the actuation of said finger claw members to open said carrier car doors and to close them and for said power operated means to close said access doors and enable said carrier car operating means to return the same for reloading. 